Cotton press



May 10, 1932. R. BELL 1,857,707

COTTON PRESS Filed June 20, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 WMM May 10, 1932.

R. BELL COTTON PRESS Filed June 20, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwvewtoz wow ' May 10, 1932.

R. BELL 1,857,70?

COTTON PRESS Filed June 20, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 R. BELL COTTON PRESS May 10, 1932.

7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 20, 1928 May 10, 1932. R. BE LL 1,857,707

COTTON PRESS Filed June 20, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 @W M m 9 M attorney,

May 10, 1932.

RQBELL COTTON PRESS Filed June 20, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 attozmq R. BELL COTTON PRES S 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed June 20, 1928 Q1101 me u Patented May 10, 1932 RALPH BELL, or LAMAR, SOUTH CAROLINA,

COTTON PRESS application filed June 20,

of the types heretofore used, and the various operations. of which are carried out with greater facility. For the attainment" of these general objects the invention provides, among other improvements, a-tramper mechanism which will permit .an uninterrupted flow of cotton into the tramper box, thus eliminating the cut off mechanisms which have heretofore been employed to hold back the cotton during portions of the tramper stroke. This mechanism operates to rotate the tramper about its longitudinal-axis upon approaching the upper limitof its movement, whereby the cotton which has been deposited on the upper side of the tramper during its movements below the point of discharge into the tramper box is discharged and smoothly laid across the. box.

Improvedoperatmg mechanism for the tramper is provided, and this mechanism is I so constructed that the tramper can at will be given a stroke of increased length whenever: it is desired to force the cotton from the trampcr box down into the press box.

An important improvement effected bythe invention: is the provision 01 a cut off gate in association with the chute leading from the condenser to the tramper box. This gate is partially automatic in operation. It is placed in operative position across the chute by manually operable means at the beginning "of 'each'pbale for the purpose of retaining the initial portion of the cotton, this initial portion of the bale being known in" the art as .the roll; "The gate is so constructed and mounted that, after-- the roll has been: accumulated, the pressure of the 1928'; Serial No. 286,914.

cotton automatically trips the gate and causes the latter to assume such a position that the. continued flow of cotton can pass thereover and into the tramper box, while the roll. is still'retained and can be caused to dis- 5.5. charge into the tramper box by manually raising the gate. This mechanismprovides. very simple and effective means for locating the roll, whichis usually. of aditferent grade of cotton, in the interior of thebal'et 0o.

Other improvements effected by th&.*i1l.-. vention relate to mechanism for operating, controlling and locking the doors and end gates of the press box, to the dogging inechanism associated with the tramper 'b.oX,'and to other various details of construction, as: will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawingszz" Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a cotton press; embodying the invention; 7 Fig. 2 is a central vertical-section through V the press; f

Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view illustrating particularly the mechanism ofthe pressbox; y Y i 5 Fig. 6 is a detail view showing particular ly the press door and end gate lockingmechanism; 1

Figs. 7 andS are detail views showingithe construction of the tramper block;

Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are detailviews show-- ing the tramper controlling mechanism in di-fferentpositions; i A V a Figs; 12, 13, 1 4i'and'15 are detail views il-' lustrating' a stop gate associated with: the chute leading from the condenser to the A I .tramper box; and r Figs. 16 and 17 are detailviews of the door locking mechanism.

The press shown by the drawings comprises a lower or press box A, in. which. the

cotton is compressed by a ram 20 in the usual" manner, and an upper or tramper box B, dis,-, posed in vertical alignment. with the lower box. and into which the lint coming froma condenser C is discharged through-a chute 21 and is compacted? by a verticallyreciprocatingtramper 22, j i 1 The press box A comprises a lower fixed section in which the ram 20 operates and an upper hinged section adapted to enclose the compressed bale. The upper hinged section consists of front and rear doors 23 and 24 hinged respectively at 25 and 26, and end gates 27. The hinges 25 and 26 are constituted by trunnions formed at the ends of wooden beams 28 secured to the lower edges of the doors and bearings for the trunnions formed in the projecting ends of timbers 29 which are fixed to the beams of floor F. These hinges are rendered durable by providing the trunnions with steel sleeves 30 and lining the bearings with steel bushings 31, the sleeves and bushings being easily removable for repair or replacement.

The doors 23 and 24 are massive and are therefore counterbalanced to facilitate the opening and closing operations, which are performed manually. l-leretofore this counterbalaneing has been effected by weights and has been only partially effective because the weights did not counterbalance for all positions of the doors. One of the improvements effected by the present invention is the provision of counterbalancing springs for the doors which are adapted to counterbalance the doors in all positions thereof. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, pivoted in vertical boards 32 secured to the doors are forks 33 which are integral with the upper ends of 'rods .34. These rods 34 pass downwardly at an outward incline through slots formed in the floor F and through apertures in bars 35 pivoted in bearings 36 secured to the underside of fioor F. The lower ends of the rods pass through apertures in cross bars 37 which are secured to bars 35 by rods 38. Coil springs '39 surrounding the lower portions of rods 34 areadapted to be compressed between the cross bars 37 and abutments 4O adjustably secured to rods 34. In this construction, when the doors 23 and 24 are low- Qered about their hinges 25 and 26 to discharge the bale, the coil springs 39 will be compressed, and the resistance ofiered there by to the lowering of the doors will increase in proportion to the angle through which the doors are turned from the vertical. The force necessary to hold the doors, of course, also increases with this angle, and, therefore, by

correctly choosing the'tension of the springs, the doors can be perfectly counterbalanced for all positions.

The end gates 27 are pivoted at their lower edges to crank shafts 41 which are journaled in bearings 42 secured to the timbers 29. These crank shafts are integralat their front ends with right angular arms 43 which are adapted to be depressed by the foot of the op erator to throw the end gates outwardly and loosen the compressed bale so that it can be easily removed from the box. Bolted to the end gates near the upper edge thereof are bring the end gates into correct position and.

lock said gates.

The front and rear doors are clamped and locked in closed position by the mechanism shown most clearly in Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, 17 and 18. Journaled in bearings 47a fixed to the front locking sills 47 is a shaft 49 formed at its ends with cranks 50 and 51, the crank 50 functioning as a handle, and crank 51 as a stop to limit the sliding of shaft 49 to the right, looking at Fig. 1. The bearings 47a at each end comprise two spaced bearing blocks, and the shaft 49 between these blocks is formed with a flattened portion 52, (Fig. 17)

Adapted to engage over shaft 49 between the bearing blocks at each side is the hooked end of a link 53 which is pivoted in the eye of a bolt 54 secured to the rear locking sill 48.

When the crank handle 50 hangs vertically,

the flattened portion 52 is horizontal, as shown in Fig. 17, and the doors are clamped and locked in closed position. To unlock the doors, handle 50 is turned up, moving hooks 53 up by'friction to a position where they.

will jump off shaft 49, because of the great pressure of the compressed bale. To hold the crank handle up, there is fixed on the shaft 49 box as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These dogs operate in steel lined slots formedin the doors 23, 24 and are pivoted to the crank portions of shafts 58 which. are rotatable in bearings. 59 secured to the outside ofthe doors, each shaft being formed at one end with a handle 60, whereby the dogs can be thrown inwardly locking sills 47 and 48 abut against the steel pillars 62 which are securedto the foundation sills of the ram. This centers the press box and prevents its being moved out of alignment with the upperor tramper box.

p the front parts thereof being braced by "metal;

The tramper box B is supported .vertically over the press box A. above .described, its lower end being secured to sills 61 which rest on and are secured to the pillars 62. The sides and ends of the tramper box are fixed and braced by suitable timbers (not shown). The box extends up to a horizontal plane passing through the lower end of chute 21, and the front side is extended above the chute by a wire screen 63. r 1 I I A sliding door 64' ismounted in channel irons 65 secured to the under sides of sills 61. This door is adapted to be retracted from position between the upper and lower boxes by means of a chain 66 operably connected to a suitable Windlass (not shown). The door may be equipped with anti-friction rollers bearing on the channel iron guides, so that it may be easily slidby hand into operative position betweenthe boxes. The end sides of the tramper box are formed with vertical slots 67 for the passage of the tramper shaft, and in order to permit the tramper to be moved down to the lower box, the upper portions of the end gates 27 of the lower box are formed with vertical slots registering with the slots 67, and the channel iron guides 65 are divided, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5,

straps 68. The door 64 is retracted from position between the boxes when it is desired to discharge the cotton from the tramper box. WVhen in positionbetween the boxes, it functions as a bottom closure for the tramper box and as an abutment againstwhich the ram presses the cotton to form the bale in the press box.

Operating through vertical slots formed between adjacent boards of the tramper box box.

tramper, the spokes rotate withthe cotton,

are rotary dogs 69. In the form illustrated, these dogs consist of curved spokes radiating from a shaft 70 ournaled in bearings 71 fixed in horizontal alignment to the side of the The shafts 7 0 are permitted to rotate in one direction only by the provision of pawls 72 pivoted to the box and engaging ratchets '73 fixed to the respective shafts. As the cotton is forced down into the box by the return stroke of tramper, the spokes are held stationary by the pawl and ratchet mechanisms and therefore hold the cotton, prevent ing it from following the tramper. I It is to. be particularly observed that, as the spokes rotate, they withdraw laterally fromthe cotton, leaving no substantial air'pockets.

The tramper, shown in Figs. 7 and 8,.is of rectangular and grid-like form. It com- 60 prises a pair of central axialangle irons 74 between the vertical webs of which is inserted and bolted a flat bar or shaft 75. A pair of transverse metal straps 7 6 are suitably secured to the channel irons at each end thereof, and similar straps 77 are secured to the channel irons near the center. Wooden blocks 7 8 .have their inner ends engaged in the-channels of bars 74, and spacer blocks-7 9 are inserted between blocks 7 8. Clamping Z rods 80 pass through blocks 78 and the spacer blocks 7 9 and also through straps 7 6 and 77, v

and nuts 81 on the ends of the" rods when tightened clamp the parts together to form a rigid structure. A tramper of this construction is easily repaired if any of the parts become broken or damaged, as it can be readily disassembled and the damaged parts re-. placed. The fiat bar or shaft 7 5 secured betweenthe ends of channelirons 74 carries bearings 83 on its opposite edges, in which are mounted rollers 84 adapted to operate in the vertical guide slots 67 formed in the end sides of the tramper boxand in the upper portions of the end gates'27. The end portions of bar or shaft 75 are cylindrical, and mounted thereon are pulleys 85 which are held from endwise displacement by fixed col lars. These cylindrical end portions of'bar or shaft 7 5 project from pulleys'85and engage in vertical guides 87 which are suitably secured to the framing surrounding the tramperbox.

. The tramper-is adapted to be verticallyreciprocated by mechanism hereinafter described,-andautomatic means is provided" for rotating the tramper block through an angle of 180 when it approaches the limit of its upward movement in order'to throw:

off the cotton which has been deposited on its upper side during that part of the movement of the tramper below the discharge end of chute 21. This means is shown more particularly in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. one end of the tramper is a cross arm 88 which terminates in oppositely facing hooks 89. Pivoted to a member 91 ofthe frame is a bailr92 adaptedto oscillate through an arc defined by'the fixed pins, 98 and 94'. PlV- oted at 95 to the tramper box is anarm 96 guided by a strap 97 and having fixed adjacent its upper end a rod 98 loosely slidable in a bracket 99 and having a head 100 en- Secured to v gaging the bracket to limit its 'inwardjmove:

the continued upward movement ofthe tramper, the cross arm and tramper will be in Fig. 10, one of the rollers 84 mountedon the tramper shaft engaging arm 96 and moving said arm to the left against the tensionrotated in a clockwise direction, as indicated' of coil spring 101. When the tramper has" been thus rotated through an angle of somewhat more than 90, the pressure of arm 96 against roller 84 will quicklythrowarm 88 and tramper around through the position shown in Fig. 11 until the arm 88 strikes a rubber cushioning stop S, this movement disengaging the hook end 89 from bail 92, the latter dropping down on pin 94 in-position to engage the other hooked end .of arm 88 upon the next approach of the tramper toward its upper position. The guide slot 67 communicateswith a widened portion adjacent the arm 98 and hail 92, this widened portion permitting rotation of the-rollers 84 abouttheaxis of the tramper. Inclined walls of this widened portion are adapted to guide the. rollers 84 and position them vertically in the slot 67 with arm 88 vertical and the tramper block 22 horizontal.

It will be noted that the tramperrotates in one direction only, making a 180 rotation each time it completes its upward stroke. This complete turning over of the tramper effectually dislodges the cotton accumulated thereon and lays it smoothly across the tramper box. v

The mechanism for reciprocating the tramper will now be described. Supported on a wooden super-structure at the front of the tramper, box is a shaft 104 which is driven from any suitable power source. This shaft is mounted in an eccentric bushing 105. and has fixed to its end a friction wheel 106 which is adapted to engage the exterior periphery of a friction wheel 10? or the inner surface of alarge friction drum 108, according as the eccentric bushing 105 is in one positionor the other. This bushing is adapted to be operated by any suitable manual means. The wheel 10? anddrum 108 are integral or suitably secured to one another so that they rotate together. They are fixed on a shaft 109 carrying pinions 110 engaging gear wheels 111 fixed on a shaft 112. Each gear wheel 111 carries near its periphery a laterally projecting pin 113 on whichis pivoted the eye of a wire rope 114. The ropes 114 lead from pins 113 upwards over pulleys 115 suspended from the top of a frame 116, hence the ropes extend downwardly and around pulleys 85 on the tramper shaft and then downwardly around pulleys 117 mounted on cross bars 118 of the lower press box,

thence upwardly and around the pulleys 85 on the tramper shaft and thence upwardly over pulleys 119 mounted on the top of frame 116, and thence horizontally and forwardly,

' the rope on one side passing over pulley 120 and that on the other side passing over pulley 121, andfinally from pulleys 120 and 121 the ropes pass vertically downward and are.

attached at their ends to eye bolts secured in a weight 122 which is slidably mounted on a vertical guide rod 123'. Obviously, with this arrangement, whenthe pins 113 are retating downwardly through an arc of 180,"

the tramper is pulled downward, and during the upward rotation of pins ,113, the

tramper is pulled-up by the action of weight 122. .When the tramper box has received sufficient cotton to form'a bale, the gate64 is retracted, and the .tramperis given a long stroke so as to force the cotton positively down into the press box. To accomplish this extra long stroke of the tramper, the mechanism now tobe described is provided.

At the outside of and adjacent to each of the gear wheels 111-is a grooved pulley 124 fixed to a freelyrotatable shaft 124 which is slid-able in bearings 124 and carries a grooved collar 125. Engaging each collar is a forkat one end of a rod 126 which is is to be given a long stroke for the purpose mentioned, the eccentric bushing. 105 is rotated to shift the friction pulley 106 into engagement with the large friction drum 108, which, of course, causes the shaft 109 to be driven at a less velocity. The lever130 is then operated toshift the grooved wheels 124 inwardly into the path of the wire ropes 114, and accordingly the cablewill wind about these pulleys which will increase the stroke of the tramper, causing it to descend into upper section of the press box A positivelyforcing all the cotton from the tramper box into the press box. to shaft 109 by engagement of pulley 106 with drum 108 compensates for the increased velocity of the tramp-er which would other wise occur, because of the winding of'the ropes on the pulleys 124, so that the tramper has the same velocity when making the long strokes, that it has when making the short strokes. The length of the short strokes will, of course, equal the diameter of the circle described by pins113, whereas the long stroke will. be equal to the circumference of this circle of the diameter of pulleys 124.

The cotton-discharged from the condenser rolls 139 falls on the chute 21 and slides down the same by gravity, into the tramper box B. Associated with the chute is a cut off gate 132 having an arc shape in longitudinal sec{ tion. This gate is pivoted on the crank portion'133 of a shaft 134 which is journaled in blocks 135 slidably mounted in vertical guides 136. The outer ends of shaft 134 are integral with arms 136 which terminate in eyes 137 threaded through rings 138 which are attached to cords 140 which pass upwardly and over pulleys-141 .and thence ho'rizontally and over pulleys 141 and are se- The low speed imparted cured 1 at their lower ends to hooks 142 adapted to engage eye bolts 142. Normally this cut off gate 132 occupies its upper position, as represented in Figs. 2, 3 and 14, having been pulled to this position by an operator standing on floor F, grasping the ends of cords 140, and being retained in such position by engaging the hook 142 in eye 142.

The gate is biased to the position shown in Fig. 12, by gravity and by springs 144 which are secured at their upper ends to the gate and at their lower ends to the sides of the condenser housing, the springs acting to 144 will move from the'position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 14 to the cut off position shown in Fig. 12, the sector plates 1'45 guiding the upper edge of the gate and the gate pivoting about the axes 134 and 133 as it moves bodily downwards. In the cut off position shown in Fig. 12, the gate forms with the chute a pocket for the collection of a predetermined roll of cotton. As the cotton accumulates, it

presses against the lower end of the chute and causes the gate to move downwardly in the chute, the gate having a movement'which is the resultant of a clockwise pivotal movement about the axis 133 and a counterclockwise movement about the axis 134. Then in this movement the upper edgeof the gate 132 has moved downwardly on the sector plates 145 to a point where the said plates do not prevent the rotation of the gate about axis 134. the gate will fall to theposition shown in Fig. 13. In this position the cotton coming from the condenser rolls will pass over the curved wall of the gate and be discharged into the tramper box. When a certain amount of cotton. has been thus discharged into the tramper box, the operator pulls down on cord 140 which rotates the shaft 134 in a clockwise direction and causes the gate 132 to assume the position shown in Fig; 12, the upper edge thereof engaging the sector plates'145 and the springs'144 being placed under a slight tensionjthen, upon further pulling of cords 140, the gatefis raised bodily in the vertical guides 136, springs 144 maintaining the upper edge of the gate e'nga'ged with the sector plates. and the'gate finally assumes its normal position as shown in Figs.

2 and 14.

The functioncr purpose ofthe gate 132 is to collect the cotton ginned at the beginning of a bale so as to enable'the same to be placed inside the bale, this initial part of the bale being commonly known in the art as the roll. It is desirable that the rolllibe 10 catedinside the bale rather than at the end thereof as it is ordinarily of a different grade of cotton. 7 The gate 132 therefore is let down into the position shown in Fig. 12, at the beginning of thebale to catch the roll? and then, when adesir ed amount'of cotton has been discharged over the gate (as indicated in Fig. 13) into the tramper box, the gate is raised, permitting the Froll to discharge into the tramper box, the remainder of the cotton forming the bale being discharged into the box above the roll, so that the latter will occupy an intermediate positionin' the bale, where it cannot bereadilysampled.

The provision of this cut off gate enables the gins to bechanged instantly from one bale to another, as the first part of the bale is taken care of while the cotton in the tramper box is being discharged into the press box, so that ginningdoes not have to be' discontinued while the cotton is being" transferred from the tramper; to they-press box; This feature of the invention, effectsa saving of from two to five minutes per -bale,;

as compared with the operation of presses heretofore in use, very materially increasing .the output in the run of a. day.

7 Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asnew and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: J i

1. In a press, the combination with two vertically-aligned compartments, of a sliding door separating the compartments, a ram operating in the lower compartment, a tramper operating in the upper compartment,

means for continuously feeding cotton-into the upper compartment, and means forrotating the tramper as it approaches the end of {its upward stroke todischarge the cotton depositedthereon.

2. Ina press, the combination with two ver- 1 tically aligned compartments, of a sliding door separating the compartments, aram operating in the lower compartment, a tramper reciprocating in the upper compartment, means for continuously feeding cotton into the upper compartment,and means for turning the tramper completely over as it approaches, the end of its upward stroke,

whereby the cottonrdeposited thereon from the feeding meanswill be' discharged therefrom. Y i

3. In a press, thecombination vertically aligned compartments, of a slidi ing door separating the compartments, a ram operating in the lower compartment, 1a

tramper reciprocating in the upper compart' ment, and means to give the tramper at will a relatively long stroke in order to force the cotton positively from the upperainto the lower compartment. V

4. In a press having a tramper box, a tramper having a shaft guided for vertical reciprocation .therein,-means for operating the tramper comprising a driven wheel, a pin fixed thereon, a flexible member connecting the pin to the tramper shaft, a pulley coaxial with said wheel, and manual means for moving'the pulley into the path of said flexible member whereby said flexible member will wrapabout said pulley and cause the tramper to make a relatively long stroke.

5/ In a press having a tramper box, a tramper guided for vertical reciprocation therein, and means for operating the tramper comprising a'driven wheel, a pin fixed there on, a flexible member having one end pivoted on the pin, guide pulleys for said members and a connection between said member and said tramper.

6. In a press having a tramper box, a tramper guided for vertical reciprocation therein, and means for'operating the tramper comprising a driven wheel, a change speed gearing-for driving the wheel at two velocities, a laterally projecting pin fixed to said wheel adjacent the periphery thereof, a flexible cable pivoted on the pin, guide pulleys over whichthe cable passes from thepin to a connection with the tramper, aweight fixed to the end of said cable, the parts being arranged so that the tramper is pulled down- 'war'd-by said wheel and is pulled upward by said'weight, a pulley slidably mounted adjacent the wheel, and manual means for sliding the pulley into the path of said cable,

"whereby'the tramper may at will be given a relatively long stroke.

7.- In a press having a tramper box, a tramper having a shaft guided for vertical reciprocation, pulleys mounted on the shaft near each 'end thereof, and means for operating Lthetramper comprising two driven 'wheels, a pin laterally projecting from'each wheel near the periphery thereof, cable pivoted to each pin, and means for guiding thecables so that they extend upwardly from the pins thence downwardly below the tramper box, thence upwardlyand around the pulleys on said tramper shaft, thence upwardly, thenceiforwardly and finally downit-extends upwardly from the pin, thence downwardly, thence upwardly and around said'pulley and thence upwardly and finally downwardly, and a weight secured to the end "of said cable.

9. In a press having a tramper box, a

tramper having an axial shaft,'vertical slots 1n the tramper box through which said shaft pro ect's, vertical channel guides engaged by 7 the ends of said shaft, pulleys mounted on said shaft between said'box andguides, flexible cables passing around the pulleys, rotating pins to which corresponding ends of the cables are pivoted, and a weight secured to the other ends of the cables, the cables being so guided that the tramper is moved downwardly by the action of thepins and upwardly by the action of'the weight.

l0. In a presshaving a tramper box, a

tramper guided for vertical reciprocation therein, a cross arm secured to the tramper extending at right angles theretoand terminating in oppositely facing hooks, a pivoted "B0 bail adapted to engage said hooks and turn the tramper through an angle of 90 as the tramper approaches the limit of its upward stroke, a substantially vertical spring pressed arm and two abutments on the tramper lo-' cated respectively on opposite sides of the axis thereof c'oacting With said pivoted arm to continue the turning of the tramper through an angleof 90, whereby the tramper is turned completely over each time 'it' approaches its upper limit of movement.

11. In a press, a vertical press box and a flooring through which the box extends, front and rear doors for the boxhinged adjacent their lower ends on horizontal axes above the flooring, a rod pivoted to each door and extending downwardly and outwardlythrough slots formed in the flooring, a horizontal shaft pivoted in bearings secured to the under side of the flooring. and having an aperture through which the rod'passes, arms secured to the shaft, a cross head carried at the outer ends of the arms having an aperture through which said rod passes, anda coil spring surrounding the rod bearing'at its ends respectively against the cross head and an abutment secured to the rod. 7 V a 12. Ina press, abox having hinged front and rear doors and hinged end gates, flaring metal sockets secured to the doors and metal projections on the end gates adapted to engage said sockets as the doors are closed to center and lock the gates.

'13. In a press, a box having a door hinged adjacent its lower end and an end gate also hinged adjacent its lower end, a transverse locking sill secured to the door, a metal socket secured to the inner face of the sill adjacent axis adjacent its lower end, a flaring'metal socket secured to one ofsaid partsand a metal pro ection secured to the other part oor adapted to engage'the socket when the is moved to closed position. g 7 '15. In a press having a tramperbox and a each end thereof, and a transverse metal strap tramper reciprocating vertically therein, a transverse horizontal shaft rotatable in bearings secured to a side of said box, arms radiating from said shaft and projecting into said box through vertical slots formed there through, said arms being curved so as to dispose their concave sides upwardly in the box. and means permitting free rotation of the shaft in one direction only permitting the arms in the box to rotate downwardly but locking them from upward movement.

16. In a cotton press having a tramper box and a chute connecting said box with a condenser, a cut off gate adapted to form with the chute a pocket for the collection of a predeterminedamount of cotton, said out off gate having an arc form in longitudinal section with its concave face disposed towards the condenser, a shaft having a crank portion which extends across the inner face of said gate and is pivoted in bearings secured to the gate, blocks at the sides of the gate in which said shaft is journaled, vertical guides for the blocks, crank arms secured to the outer ends of the shaft, flexible members secured to said crank arms for raising the gate, sector plates pro ecting from the condenser housing adapted to engage the upper edge of the gate, and coil springs secured at their upper ends to the gate near the upper end thereof and secured at their lower ends to the condenser housing.

17. In a cotton press having a tramper box and a chute connecting said box with avcondenser, a cut off gate adapted to form with the chute a pocket for the collection of a predetermined amount of cotton, said gate having an arc-form in longitudinal section with its concave side disposed towards the condenser, a block at the side of the gate, a vertical guide in which the block is slidable, an arm pivotally supporting the gate and also pivotally mounted in the block, means for raising the block and gate, a curved guide for the upper edge of the gate, and a spring holding said edge engaged with said guide.

18. In a cotton press having a tramper box and a chute through which cotton is discharged into the box from a condenser, a cut off gate adapted to form with the chute a pocliet for the collection of a predetermined amount of cotton, said gate having an arcform in longitudlnal section with 1ts concave side disposed away from the tramper box,

means for mounting the gate so that it can rotate about two horizontal axes and'can also be raised andlowered bodily, a guide for the upper end of the gate, a spring holding said end against said guide, the parts being so constructed and arranged that after the gate has been lowered to operative position across the chute and the pocket formed thereby with the chute has become filled with cotten, the pressure of the cotton will cause the gate to move about its pivotal axes down' wardly in the chute until its upper end is released by said guide, whereupon sald end will fall, permitting cotton coming from the condenser to pass over the curved surface of the gate and into the tramper box.

19. In a cotton press having a tramper box 1 and chute adapted to d1scharge cotton into said box, a cut ofi gate adapted to form with the chute a pocket for thercollection of a predetermined amount of cotton, means for mounting the gate so that it can rotate about two horizontal axes and can also be raised by has become filled with cotton, the pressure i of the cott'onwill cause the ate to move.

about its pivotal axes downwardly injthe chute until its upper end moves free of the guide, whereupon'said end will fall permitting the cotton coming from the condenser to pass over the box.

20. In a cotton press, a press box having front and rear-doors hinged adjacent their lower ends, locking sills extending across the upper ends of the doors and projecting laterally from the box, and fixed abutments extending inside said projecting ends and adapted to engage said endswhen the doors are closed to center said box. V

.21. In a cotton press "having a tramper box, a chute through which cotton is fed into said box, a normally inoperative gate associated with said chute for interrupting the flow of cottoninto said box, manual means to move said gate to operativeiposltion to accumulate a predetermined roll, automatic means to move said gate lnto such posltion that the roll is retained while the cotton continues to flow into the tramper box, and means for returning said gate to inoperative posi:

tion, .me'ans for 'moving the gate across the chute to interrupt the flow of cotton into the tramper box, means governed by the pressure of cotton against said gate to move the latter into sucha position as to retain the accumulated cotton whilepermitting cotton to flow into the tramper box, and means for mov-- ing the gate to its original inoperative position to permit the accumulated cotton to pass into said box. 23. In a cotton press,

. in. combination, a

tramper box, a chute discharging into said box, means for feeding cotton continuously into said chute, a normally inoperative gate 7 associated with said chute, manual means to move sald gate to operative position for 111- terrupting the flow of cotton into said tramper box to accumulate a'roll, automatic means operating When the roll has reached a predetermined size to operate said gate so that the roll Will be retained While cotton continues to pass into said tramper box, and manually operable means for moving said gate to inoperative position.

24. In a cotton press having a tramper box, means for feeding cotton into said box, a normally inoperative manually controlled gate for interrupting the flow of cotton into said box for the purpose of accumulating a predetermined roll, automatic means governed by the pressure of the roller to move said gate into such position that the roll is retained While the cotton continues to flow into the tramper box over said gate, and means for returning said gate to inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature. RALPH BELL.

'so f 

